ZTE
D90

This device was developed as part of an agreement between Canadian mobile network operator Telus, and Digit Wireless, a company that had conceived the innovative Fastap keyboard entry design that enabled faster typing. It was the first keypad in the world to integrate letter and punctuation keys around a standard numeric keypad on a mobile phone. At the time, the keyboard design was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's smallest keypad. ZTE was reluctant to work on such an experimental product but it was keen to get a business relationship with Telus, who made it a condition of working together. On this basis, ZTE agreed to make the device. When it was launched, the device was described as offering “a superior user experience for messaging on an elegant, slim flip handset by combining the unique and innovative Fastap keypad and the eZiType completion engine.” The phone incorporated a specially designed backlight with semi-transparent key labels to make the D90 keypad look like a standard keypad at first glance, but when in use, the letter keys instantly lit up, highlighting the functionality of the Fastap keypad. Typing messages was made even quicker and more accurate with the Zi Corporation's eZiType word completion and correction software. The D90 was the world’s first mobile phone to feature Zi's eZiType engine, which offered intelligent, practical word completion, along with next-word and phrase prediction. ZTE, Telus and Digit Wireless worked on the design of the phone with a company called Funhouse with designer Jeff Higashi leading the project. 45,000 units were made. The D90 went on to win a prestigious Red Dot award.